Cleaning brush



March 8, 1960 H. J. SAUER CLEANING BRUSH Filed March 12, 1957 INVENTOR. Hey 27:9 J J auer ATTD RN EYS United States Patent CLEANING BRUSH Henry J. Sauer, San Leandro, Calif. Application March 12, 1957, Serial No. 645,591

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-179) This invention relates to a cleaning brush, and more particularly to a cleaning brush of the rotary type.

The object of the invention is to provide a rotary cleaning brush which is adapted to be used for cleaning metal surfaces or metal members such as bolts, valve stems or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary cleaning brush which includes a shaft or housing that may be rotated in any suitable manner, the housing being hollow whereby portions of the elements to be cleaned such as the bolts or valve stems can be readily extended therethrough, the cleaning brush further including a head which has a plurality of interlocked bristles secured thereto, the bristles being arranged so that the cleaning of the metal members can be more easily accomplished.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary cleaning brush which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the cleaning brush of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational View of the brush showing the bristles in the head.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the modified arrangement.

Figure 5 is an elevational view showing the brush of Figure 4 being used.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicatas a hollow housing or casing which can be made of any suitable material such as cylindrical metal stock. The interior of the housing 10 is hollow or open as at 11 for a purpose to be later described. An end of the housing 10 is threaded exteriorly as at 12.

The rotary cleaning brush of the present invention further includes a head 13 which is detachably connected to the housing 14), and the head 13 includes an end wall 14 which is provided with a central threaded opening 15 for threadedly engaging the end portion 12 of the housing 10.

Extending from the end wall 14 and secured thereto or formed integral therewith, is a lip 16 which has a frusto conical shape, and also extending from the end wall 14 is an annular flange 17, the flange 17 coacting with the lip 16 and with the end wall 14 to define a space 18. A plurality of wire bristles 19 are fixedly seated in the space 18, and the bristles 19 are interlocked together, the bristles 19 being shaped or arranged in such a manner as to define in the central portion thereof an opening or space 21 Figure 3. The opening is adapted to receive an element to be cleaned such as the bolt 21, shown in Figure 2.

Patented Mar. 8, 1960 s a a thereto is a shaft 23 which is adapted to be connected to a suitable power mechanism such as a chuck of a drill press or other tool.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings there is shown a modification wherein the housing 10 can be gripped in the users hand so that an element such as the bolt 21 can be readily cleaned. In Figure 5, the bolt 21 is shown being held in a chuck 24 of a conventional machine tool 25.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a rotary cleaning brush which is especially suitable for use in cleaning elements or members such as the bolt 21. In use, the bolt 21 may be gripped or supported in any suitable manner as for example, by means of the chuck 24 which may form a part of a machine tool 25. Then, the housing 10 can be gripped in the hand and the opening 20 can be used to receive the end of the bolt 21, and due to the provision of the hollow interior 11 in the housing 10, there will be provided sutiicient clearance to permit the bolt 21 to extend into the end of the housing 10 whereby the bolt 21 can be readily cleaned. The wire bristles 19 will effectively remove rust, carbon deposits, or any other material which may be on the bolt 21. While the present invention has been described and illustrated for use in cleaning a bolt, it is to be understood that any suitable elements may be cleaned other than a bolt such as a valve stem or the like.

As previously described, the bristlts 19 of the head 13 are interlocked together and arranged in such a manner so that they will frictionally engage the element being cleaned whereby the foreign matter will be efliciently removed from this element. Furthermore, in the event that the head 13 is to be replaced, it can be readily unscrewed from the housing 10 and then a different head 13 can be mounted thereon. The bristles 19 are firmly seated in the space 18 which is defined between the flange 17, lip 16 and end wall 14.

Instead of gripping the housing 10 in the hand as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a plug 22 may be mounted in the end of the housing 10, and a shaft 23 can extend from the plug 22 so that the shaft 23 can be gripped in a chuck such as a chuck of a drill press or other machine tool.

The bristles 19 are preferably made of steel and since the bristles 19 are firmly locked together, the element to be cleaned will be securely gripped so that foreign matter will be removed therefrom. Also, the bristles 19 are arranged in tapering formation so that as the bolt or other member contacts the bristles 19, there will be a tendency for the bristles to move against the bolt more tightly or firmly so that the cleaning operation will be more efiicient. As previously described, by mounting the plug 22 and the shaft 23 in the end of the housing, the shaft 23 can be held in a chuck or the like, and when the device is being used without the plug 22 and shaft 23, the housing it can be held in the users hand. By means of the present invention, a machinist or other person can readily clean roughness from threads, such as threads on the bolt 21 after the threads are made while the bolt is still in the threading machine.

The housing 10 provides a support for the brush, and the parts can be adjusted as desired. The parts can be made of any suitable material and in any desired shape or size. Due to the provision of the interlocked bristles 19, the device can be used for cleaning parts of difierent shapes or sizes and it can be used for removing carbon from cylinder heads, as well as for removing carbon or other foreign matter from bolts or the like and it can also be used in cleaning threaded portions of different memthe bolt '01 valve stem or other parts to be cleaned and brush is especially suitable for cleaning cylinder heads "and cylinders of automobile engines as well as other types. {of combustion engines. Rotation of the brush causes the wire bristles to tighten around the object being cleaned. The brush can also be used for cleaning other members such as nuts, valves, and the like. The brush is of simple construction and is ruggedly constructed so that it will not readily get out of order. I claim: g

1. In a cleaning brush, a cylindrical housing having a threaded end portion, a head including an'end wall provided with acentral threaded opening threade-dly engaging the threaded portion of said housing, a frusto conical lip extending from said end Wall and secured thereto, an annular flange extending from the outer periphery of said end wall and coacting with said lip and end wall to define a space therebetween, a plurality of bristles having a portion thereof fixedly seated in said space, said bristles being interlocked together and said bristles being shaped to define a central opening therein for receiving the element to be cleaned, a plug mounted in an end of said housing, and a shaft extending from said plug and secured thereto.

2. A cleaning 'brush comprising a cylindrical housing having an externally threaded end portion, the interior of the housing being hollow, a head detachably connected to said housing and said head including an end wall pro- 4 vided witha central threaded opening threadedly engaging the threaded portion of said housing and whereby in the event that the head is to be replaced, it can be readily unscrewed from the housing so that a different head can t be mounted thereon, a frusto-conical lip extending from said end wall and secured thereto, the outer end of said lip being in the same plane with the end of the housing, an annular flange extending from the outer periphery of said end wall and coacting with said lip and end wall to define a space therebetween, the outer, end of said lip extending beyond the outer end of said flange, a plurality of bristles having a portion thereof fixedly "seated in said space, said bristles being interlocked together and said bristles being shaped to define a central opening therein for receiving the element to be cleaned, said bristles being arranged in tapering'formation so that as the bolt or other member contacts the bristles, there will be a tendency for the bristles to move against the bolt or other member more tightly or firmly so that the cleaning operation will be more eflicient.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,216 Dixon May 31; 1910 r 1,244,132 ning r Oct. 23, 1917 1,638,804 Gottschalk Aug. 9, 1927 1,656,237 Rodgers Jan. 17, 1928 1,874,475 Ellingham 'Aug. 30, 1932 1,914,533 Schodde June 20, 1933 2,325,629 Peterson Aug. 3, 1943 2,755,496 Benyak July 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 456,984 Germany Mar. 7, 1928 

